I was wondering if anyone would be able to give me some input on my first trailer. I am just starting out, so I don't want something too big and expensive. I have a 91 F150 to pull the trailer. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Rich

glenjr10

07-15-2003, 03:49 PM

buy the biggest trailer that your budget can afford. I personally have a 7' X 16' trailer and am wishing it would be 2 feet longer. One word of advise would be to check the length of the ramp against the height of the deck. When I purchased mine, I bought it with 16" rims and 7.5-16 tires. First time I loaded my machine on my trailer, I could not get it off, due to the angle of the ramp. My uncle made me an extension to go on my existing gate, and now it works out perfectly fine. DO a lot of research and this site has a wealth of information on anything dealing with the lawn care business.

Good luck in your endeavours.

just grass

07-16-2003, 03:48 PM

i ordered my trailer a 5x10, front box, power rack, water cooler rack and blower rack, with spare tire, i left the trailer with a borrowed trailer to pick up my mower, i haven't even loaded my mower and i called the guy and ordered 6x12. the bigger the better but you also have to look at storage and the equipment you have, or will be purchasing down the road so you don't have to be buying a trailer every couple of years.

Green Pastures

07-16-2003, 04:06 PM

8 x 24 enclosed.

just grass

07-16-2003, 04:46 PM

dont forget the ramp lenght is important too. if my depth is lower then 3inches it catches on the edge of the trailer and ramp

harpoonalt

07-16-2003, 06:23 PM

Slow down guys or he'll have a tractor trailer. Size the trailer according to YOUR needs and the direction you want your business to go. Plan ahead and get a size to grow with your future plans for your business. What do you NEED to carry every day? Are you a solo op and going to stay that way or do you envision being the mowing giant in your area? Give us more info and we can give you a general idea. I'm a part time solo and have a 5 X 8 that works well for just mowing with a 48" TTHP and a trim mower onboard. A trimmertrap rack holds my handhelds and I'm good to go. It tows easy, parks easy and fits into tighter spaces than a big trailer will. That said, I have a 5 X 12 tandem coming next week because I find a need to be able to haul larger loads of mulch, stone, and leaves while still transporting some equipment. 5' wide so it will fit in my garage (a must in my neighborhood) and tandem for the security and load hauling ability. I don't envision needing or wanting anything bigger, it would just be more of a pain. I've found a business plan that works for me and a trailer size to support it. So what do you want to carry and what kind of business plan do you have? Then we'll try and send you down the right path.

A1 Grass

07-17-2003, 12:15 AM

I started off on a miniscule budget. I am primarily solo so enclosed was a must for me. I get EVERYTHING on my list below in a 5x8. I can always buy bigger when I get enough customers to support it!

just grass

07-17-2003, 12:18 AM

just buy what you need to start dont go too far. if you buy a 10 ft and you think you might need a little more in the year or so buy a 12 ft. but always consider your budget and your accounts.

mr. k

07-17-2003, 12:38 AM

Thanks guys for all of your inputs. I am a solo operater at this time and plan on being that way for the time being. Youo advice was very helpful. Its seems that I'll basically go as big as my wallet and my storage area will let me. One more question. Any opinions as far as open or enclosed trailers go? Thanks

Rich

just grass

07-17-2003, 02:22 AM

i went open cause i keep it in my garage and i dont let it spend 5 minutes out in the weather, enclosed is good for protection from weather and for security. good luck .

harpoonalt

07-17-2003, 06:19 AM

I like the open for it's versatility. You can use it for mowing or hauling mulch, topsoil, branches, etc, while the enclosed is more limited. Again it depends on your situation. The enclosed is more money, but offers security, a place to advertise, and an equipment storage area. The open trailer is cheaper, more versatile, but needs to be put somewhere if you plan tto leave your equipment on it. If all I ever did was mow lawns, I'd get an enclosed in a heartbeat, as I think they look very professional. But, I like to do my own hauling (the haulers never seem to be able to accomadate my schedule) and I need to be able to put my trailer out of sight at night (covenants). Think about what will work best for your business. I almost bought an enclosed but it would have been a big mistake for my operation. Let us know what you decide

A1 Grass

07-17-2003, 05:15 PM

Welcome Mr. K - One more quick FYI

I know that everybody (?) tries to help on this forum, but some people just don't understand small budgets and the importance of JUST GETTING STARTED.

If I took the advice of many I would have gotten myself into a BIG loan at the bank and that would have included a LARGE trailer. The fact is I purchased everything I needed to get started solo for a LOT less than everyone said it would cost. IE:

Whenever I can I will replace these items with ones that are higher quality, but NOTHING will stand in the way of getting started!

My point is - take all of these opinions, sort through them, and use the information that helps you, but DON't let anyone tell you that you need a $400 blower or GIGANTIC trailer just to get going. There's always time to expand and there will always be someone to buy your little trailer when you are ready for a larger one!

just grass

07-18-2003, 07:14 PM

good point look at your check book and . and the craftman equip works good my weedeater starts on the first pull compared to the stihl 3 pulls min. good luck